Reuters Breakingviews: Hollande gets serious on Europe - at last

May 17 - French President Francois Hollande's plan for a centralised euro zone 'economic government' may be premature, but it has legs argues Breakingviews.

▲ Hide Transcript

▶ View Transcript

Today I liked his breaking these French presidents fonts all along get serious and you -- Honest appraisal man plagues joining me now is which is breaking these European at a set PM back home thank you so much joining us PX. -- -- -- Is on loans -- a way of distracting. It is from his son track records. Another. To -- destructive because it's not really something that we will be hugely popular in the current context. In both France and to hold unison as you know Europe is pretty unpopular nowadays and he's suggesting. To build the which he called me and the economy government together with the rest of the -- In order to manage a central some form of central budget which but with him but he which would be permanent had serious -- And we've got to launch a plan for youth against youth unemployment. And peace central eurozone economy government could of course at some point later. You Hugh -- -- do you remember that was hotly debated issue. We've been the main European countries. A year ago until -- too weak to. Pat -- Germany and that he -- made any -- address when the Germany's main concern and witches. He took it to have a central economy government that has to be real you sovereignty transfers. Has to have real powers it has to. Make sure that national governments don't don't go on on spending sprees and -- don't onto it irresponsible. So he's addressing that that that's probably and -- the proposal that sentiment can live with. So and really it's a control over the past and spending as well as into the centralized past basically. Mean how realistic is it that we we can see the essential lies. Economic government and choose three yen as time. Well tree just time is is is or wants. Suggested timetable it may be too optimistic this may not be visited the whole idea may be premature. Because all the European countries are of course mostly focused now on. Addressing their own problems and and and getting out of the fiscal mess they are old -- -- and the question is when can this go forward I think the kind that can only do you prove it as everyone knows that even when and once you've got out of the crisis. I -- it would take years anyway with unemployment at 20% with youth employment at 2425%. In the it was a you have to have some kind of plan to pull -- there with Pete to avoid -- -- and yet another crisis that could be even more. Serious. And future. And just to finish up pros and cons of the plan. Proves is that France. That's not agrees that it's not Europe would not be just an addition of national governments it has to have a strong. Center. That is above national governments I mean it's a little premature for -- from France the cons is that it's a difficult process and it would take years and years. Two and and and and that the moment may not be right because governments are have on things in -- mind. Sitting at my thanks to at PF from breaking views. Coming up later today axles were helpful -- some Liberia's president Alan Johnson sunny the espionage head of state in Africa. That's had fourteen -- Easton nineteen CBS T. I'm -- in all and this is voices.

Reuters is the news and media division of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: